PARLIAMENT OF DREAMS

G'Kar has just listened to the message from Du'Rog telling G'Kar that
he has only 48 Earth hours to live.

G'KAR: Someone close to me....

Door chimes.

G'KAR: Come.

Na'Toth enters.

NA'TOTH: Diplomatic attache Na'Toth reporting for duty.

G'Kar looks at her, and Na'Toth looks back with curiosity.

NA'TOTH: Your new aide, Ambassador.

scene break

In G'Kar's quarters, Na'Toth is entering stuff into a handheld datapad
of some type. G'Kar is sitting opposite her, scrutinising her closely.
Na'Toth pauses and looks up, staring back.

NA'TOTH: Something, Ambassador?

G'KAR: Just thinking about last week - the unfortunate accident with
an airlock that caused the sudden demise of my first aide, Ko'Dath?

NA'TOTH: Ah (nods).

G'KAR: Very sudden! Who did you say sponsored you to be my attache?

NA'TOTH: Counsellor Li'Dak, fifth circle.

G'KAR: Ah, then you must know his own sponsor, Du'Rog.

NA'TOTH: No, I've never met him.

G'KAR: You seem very certain about someone you've never met. In all
your dealings with the Kha'Ri isn't it possible that you once met someone
named Counsellor Du'Rog?

NA'TOTH: Anything is possible.

G'KAR: Yes, anything is possible. Anything! What would you say if I
told you that counsellor Du'Rog had hired someone to kill me, someone close
to me...

NA'TOTH: Ambassador, with all due respect, if it were me, you wouldn't
be here for us to have this conversation.

G'KAR: Except of course Du'Rog wants to prolong my discomfort for the
next 48 earth hours. The last thing he wants is a quick death.

NA'TOTH: Ah. How can you be sure that there is an assassin on board?
What if he only told you this to frighten you.

G'KAR: Unlikely.

NA'TOTH: Ah, well as you said, anything is possible. If he wanted the
best, he would have gone to the assassin's guild to get a killer. It is
a tradition with the Thenta Makur to leave a black flower near his victim
so that they can get their affairs in order. Have you received a death
blossom?

G'KAR: No.

NA'TOTH: Then I wouldn't worry. (softens) Get some sleep, Ambassador
- I am sure the question will resolve itself soon enough.

G'Kar sighs...looks absolutely knackered.

Scene break.

G'Kar is asleep. Rolls over, sniffs in his sleep smelling the death
blossom in his bed. He awakens and terrified, screams.

Scene break.

Na'Toth is turning the deathblossom over and over in her hands.

G'Kar strides out of the bedroom.

G'KAR: And you have no idea how that (swiping at flower) got into my
bed?

NA'TOTH: Ambassador, it is not my place to speculate on how _anything_
gets into your bed. Your reputed fascination with earth women for instance....
If you're worried, why don't you go to the commander. He could protect
you.

G'KAR: I fight my own battles. I survived our war of independance, five
years on the council and two prior assassination attempts. I can survive
this. Asking for help would require explaining why Counsellor Du'Rog wanted
me dead. This would lead to some unfortunate revelations about my years
on the council. Revelations that could affect my position.

G'KAR: Personally I don't care if the information comes out. My only
concern is that it might compromise our standing in the negotiations. So
we have to handle this quietly, for the sake of planetary security (shaking
his small stone knife in her face).

NA'TOTH: Of course.

Na'Toth clearly thinks G'Kar is a loony. She stands up and G'Kar leaps
back whilst holding his knife in her face.

NA'TOTH: Ambassador, if you suspect that I am involved, why are you
telling me all this?

G'KAR: Earthers have a phrase - keep your friends close and your enemies
closer. I think they stole it from us. Either way I look forward to strengthening
our relationship. Now I must find the courier who brought me this message.
I believe his name was Tu'Pari. I must find out who gave it to him.

NA'TOTH: He's probably left the station by now.

G'KAR: No - no ships for Narn have left since yesterday afternoon. He's
still be here. Finding him will be your first test. Meanwhile I'll arrange
for a little protection. (he stabs the knife into a ?fruit)

NA'TOTH: I thought you weren't going to tell the Earthers about this.

G'KAR: I'm not.

He leaves. Na'Toth picks up the death blossom and regards it.

scene break.

The Minbari rebirth ceremony. The death of flesh, the death of pain.
Taste of it and be not afraid, for I am with you.

G'Kar comes storming into his quarters, absolutely frantic.

G'KAR: Where is he? I was told a bodyguard would be at the ceremony!
I was all alone! The taste of your own death and deed is-

NA'TOTH: (trying to interject) Ambassador. Ambassador! AMBASSADOR!

She finally gets his attention and gestures.

NA'TOTH: The other room...

The bodyguard is dead, with a deathblossom.

several scene breaks. Na'Toth walks into the customs area and up to
the Narn courier.

NA'TOTH: Are you the courier Tu'Pari?

TU'PARI: Yes.

NA'TOTH: Come with me.

TU'PARI: I am needed on homeworld. I have my orders.

NA'TOTH: So do I. I am already an hour late in bringing you to Ambassador
G'Kar. Which gives us something in common - if you do not come with me,
you will be the late courier Tu'Pari.

Tu'Pari follows Na'Toth out of the customs area.

scene break.

In G'Kar's quarters. G'Kar is sitting on a table, head on fist, looking
pensive. Door bleeps.

G'KAR: Come.

Na'Toth shoves Tu'Pari in the door.

NA'TOTH: The courier Tu'Pari, Ambassador, as you requested.

G'KAR: I do wish to speak to him alone, if you don't mind Na'Toth.

She bows and leaves.

scene break.

G'Kar is talking to someone from homeworld. He requests that Na'Toth
be reassigned within 24 hours - he wants her off the station. Then something
he didn't expect occurs.

scene break.

Na'Toth walks into G'Kar's quarters.

NA'TOTH: Ambassador? Ambassador G'Kar?

He is not there. She looks around, sees broken glass on the ground.
She bends, picks some of it up and rubs it between her fingers and throws
it to the ground, then turns to the terminal.

NA'TOTH: Re-establish connection with last transmission.

Scene break.

G'Kar is being tortured by Tu'Pari. Some instinct or sound tells Tu'Pari
to turn around and see what is behind him.

TU'PARI: Na'Toth!

NA'TOTH: I'm glad to see my instincts were correct. I knew you would
need complete privacy for this. So once I had determined which of the transport
tubes had suddenly broken down, it wasn't hard to figure out where you
were.

TU'PARI: This is none of your affair, Na'Toth. Leave while you can.

NA'TOTH: Not until I've done what I came here to do. I'm your backup,
Tu'Pari, hired to finish the job in case you failed.

TU'PARI: I wasn't told about a back up!

NA'TOTH: No, the primary never is. Standard practice in the assasssin's
guild as you well know.

TU'PARI: Why should I believe you?

NA'TOTH: Hmm, I see you are using paingivers. Crude... unimaginative...
and much too quick. Our orders were to prolong his discomfort every moment
until the deadline.

TU'PARI: And what would you recommend?

She nudges G'Kar onto his back with her foot.

G'KAR: Na'Toth!

NA'TOTH: At your service, Ambassador.

Her smile is a little nasty :-) Then she beats the crap out of him.

TU'PARI: And this is the part where I am supposed to decide I trust
you, drop my guard and let you shoot me in the back. Sorry, but I can't
take the chance that you're lying.

NA'TOTH: You're making a mistake.

TU'PARI: Perhaps.

G'Kar comes in like a raging bull and beats the crap out of Tu'Pari.
G'Kar throws Tu'Pari around as if he were a doll. G'Kar dusts himself off
and shakes a finger at Na'Toth.

G'KAR: That hurt!

NA'TOTH: (looking away) Ambassador, it was the only way to disable the
paingivers. I had to hit them as hard as possible as often as possible
and still make it appear as though I was beating you into another incarnation.

G'KAR: And you didn't enjoy it in the least?

NA'TOTH: I didn't say that..(looking at G'Kar, then past him) What are
you going to do with Tu'Pari?

G'Kar chuckles.

scene break.

G'KAR: Well, well, you're finally awake.

Tu'Pari tries to escape, but G'Kar is on one side and Na'Toth on the
other.

G'KAR: I was afraid that the injection wouldn't wear off for another
day or so.

TU'PARI: Another...? Another day?

NA'TOTH: It's been nearly 72 Earth hours since you were knocked out.
You missed your deadline. (brightly) Most unfortunate!

G'KAR: But to make up for it I went ahead and deposited a substantial
amount of money to your personal account back home.

TU'PARI: No - the Thenta Makur - they'll think I betrayed my commission!
Sold out on principles!

G'Kar nods, most pleasedly.

TU'PARI: They will kill me!

G'KAR: Yes, they will won't they? I imagine they are already on their
way!

NA'TOTH: Actually, they will be here in about one hour. It would be
even more unfortunate if they were to find you here when they arrive.

G'KAR: Oh,yes. Happily, I'm safe because the commission was yours alone
and they are so scandalised by your actions that they would just as soon
forget the whole thing ever happened.

NA'TOTH: Except for the part about killing him.

G'KAR: Except for that, yes.

The flight boarding call is heard.

G'KAR: That's your flight. I suggest you board quickly. With luck, they
may never find you. But if they do, you will know pain.